Data storage diskettes, also known as floppy disks, have been employed for decades in computer systems. Floppy disks permit information to be written to the disk and information to be read from the disk, such that floppy disks have become a widely popular storage medium in computer systems.
A data storage diskette generally includes an outer shell or housing maintaining a media disk. The media disk is a flexible sheet of polyester film or the like, having a magnetic layer coated on at least one side. The housing normally includes a separate cover and a separate base. The cover and the base each form a window at a forward portion of the housing, and the base forms a drive window. A movable shutter is coupled to the housing and covers the cover/base windows when the diskette is not in use. When the data storage diskette is inserted into a floppy disk drive, a drive head of the disk drive enters the drive window and spins a hub of the media disk, and the shutter is displaced to “open” the base/cover windows to provide a read/write head with read/write access to the spinning media disk.
During use, information is read from, or written to, the magnetic layer on the media disk by the read/write head. The read/write head traverses the spinning media disk to magnetically read (or write) information from (or to) the media disk. In this manner, the media disk is a repository for user-selected information, and this non-volatile stored information on the media disk can be retained for many years.
When not in use, the housing protects the media disk from physical damage and debris. In addition, the housing provides an exterior surface that is useful for attaching a label that identifies the information stored on the media disk. In general, it is desired that the housing be durable enough to resist damage to the media disk when the data storage diskette is transported.
Sufficiently durable housings can be molded from polymers. However, forming covers and bases of the housing to have robust thicknesses can lead to warped covers and bases, or at least more expensive covers and bases. Removing some of the polymer from the covers and/or bases can be expensive and necessitates designing and fabricating new molds. In addition, removing some of the polymer from the covers and/or bases can give rise to a molding problem called “short shot,” where an undesirable void is formed in the part due to unstable or insufficient polymer flow. Thus, there is a need for an advanced diskette housing that uses less material but is sufficiently durable.
Data storage diskettes continue to be popular data storage devices for transferring information between computer systems. Recent advances in media disk technology have resulted in data storage diskettes that are capable of storing vast volumes of information in a durable and retrievable manner. Other advancements and improvements to diskette housings will be welcomed by data storage diskette users.